On his first asphalt rally as a driver, his first driving a RWD car and having to survive late battery charging issues which almost saw him pack in at final service, Matthew Baddeley scored a magnificent Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship Class H1 victory on the East Riding Stages Rally in his Self Storage Company/Stratos PDI Escort Mk2.
It was also the first time in six years that the former Rally First champion had driven on a rally – with his last outing behind the wheel back in the 2019 Fiesta ST Trophy.
Matthew grew up in North Wales and sat next to three-time British Rally Champion Matt Edwards – “who didn’t shut up about rallying” – in school.
He started on the Woodpecker Rally in 2017, hiring a VW Lupo from John Goff.
He then won the Rally First title in 2018, before contesting the 2019 Fiesta ST Trophy and decided during the Covid-enforced break that a switch to RWD might be fun.
His current Escort Mk2 was purchased from Jason Lepley in 2023.
The car had a nut and bolt rebuild by Ally Tolson at Tolson Retrosport in North Wales, and the engine went to Peter Jones at Jondel Race Engines in Northamptonshire for some work.
“It took me a little while to work out what I wanted to do with the car, but having been co-driving for Graeme Wood in Belgium on the great asphalt roads I thought I’d give the smooth stuff a go,” says Matthew.
“Plus, I didn’t fancy gravel rash on the fresh paint!
“The recent East Riding Stages was my first asphalt rally driving, my first rally driving a RWD car and my first time driving in six years. And the first four stages were in the dark, just for good measure!
“I went into the weekend with zero expectations. Really, I just wanted to get some miles under my belt and enjoy it. I was pleased to having Graeme [Wood] in the other seat. Graeme is a friend of my dad’s and has known me since I was knee high. His experience of so many years of co-driving was priceless. We really enjoyed the fast night stages and the car was feeling great.
“On Sunday we set out for more of the same.
“I wanted to drive within myself all day and learn what the car and the tyres were telling me. Sunday morning, I think everyone found it very slippery but we got through unscathed and weren’t looking at the results.
“But on the final stage of the morning the alternator light had come on, and we knew the battery wasn’t charging. There was a bit of a debate in service as to whether to carry on or call it a day. After all, it might just die on the road section somewhere and that would be that. We decided to carry on – we might finish, we might not.
“As it happens, the car died three-quarters of the way through the final stage, and the crew lost three and a half minutes putting the jump pack on the battery to get it fired up again.
“We got our stage time and then just had to get back to Beverley before the jump pack died. We did get back but the car died about forty metres from the finish so ended up having to push it over the line. Eventful to say the least!
“All in all though, I really enjoyed it and I’m keen to get back out again asap to continue the progress.
“You won’t see me on the Manx, but I’ll be on the Jim Clark and then as many as I can squeeze in throughout the rest of the year.
“Credit to the East Riding organising committee for a great rally and the Protyre Asphalt Championship organisers for putting together a great series of events for 2026.”
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